Monday, October 31, 2016

The Knox County Board of Education tonight and Wednesday will
continue discussions that touch on the search for a new superintendent
and whether state testing data should help determine teacher evaluations
and student grades for the current year.

The board also has some
“housecleaning” and policy matters that officials will address during
tonight’s work session, but the two “key items” focus on testing and the
school system’s next leader, BOE Chairwoman Patti Bounds told WBIR
10News on Monday morning.

Bounds said the board will talk about
whether it wants to put together a search committee and – if members do
want a committee – then who should serve on it. The county law
department has recommended three members, but Bounds said the board
doesn’t necessarily have to stick to that number.

Buzz Thomas, who oversees the Great Schools Partnership, is currently serving as interim superintendent.

However, the GSP wants him back by next summer, so Bounds said the school board wants to get it done by then.

“I
don’t think there are any members of this board who will not do their
due diligence to get the best person, but we know we’re on a very tight
schedule,” Bounds said.

The board also will talk about a proposed
resolution sponsored by Amber Rountree that comes in the wake of the
state’s recent announcement that it has signed a contract with Questar to oversee Tennessee’s annual student assessments.

Rountree
wants the state to grant a waiver so that the tests don’t count against
teacher evaluations and student grades for the current year.

The
state in the past year or so has struggled to roll out new tests for
students and she wants to make sure the kinks are worked out of the new
tests.

Her resolution also notes that “there are documented errors
on the part of Questar” to administer similar tests in New York and
Mississippi, and that Knox County teachers wouldn’t be involved in
writing test items for the current year.

Thomas has called the resolution “ill-advised” and “at the very least . . . premature.”

“(The)
proposed resolution does not sound like a school district that is
aspiring to be the best in the South or even in the state,” Thomas wrote
to board members in a Sept. 23 email. “It sounds like we are making
excuses. We need a good standardized test each year to tell us how we
are doing compared to others across the state and the nation. We will
achieve greatness not by shying away from this accountability but by
welcoming it.”

The county’s Teacher Advisory Committee met earlier this month to talk about the issue.

“A
great majority of those reported that in surveying their schools the
teachers were in favor of Amber’s resolution . . . (and) that their
schools and teachers were in favor of it by a pretty significant
number,” Bounds said.

An advisory committee member will give board members a presentation prior to the official start of tonight’s meeting.

The
board meets tonight at 5 at the Andrew Johnson Building. The board’s
voting meeting is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the City County Building.

Some ballot questions are to approve the sale of liquor in package
stores, or by the drink. Others, like Jefferson City in Jefferson
County, will vote on whether to allow the sale of wine in grocery
stores.

Late last week, the state GOP (or whoever – they’re the ones
who called me anyway) put out a new mailer that appears to depict Democrat
challenger Gloria Johnson as a clown and says her “liberal agenda” is “just as
scary as creepy clowns.”

Uhg.

Anyhoo, Johnson, issued a statement this morning denouncing
the “false attacks being made by special interest groups” and called on
incumbent Eddie Smith, a Republican, “to condemn the smears.”

“Tennesseans for Student Success claims
to be an education focused non-profit but they have spent tremendous resources
launching negative attacks that have nothing to do with education, against
life-long teacher and candidate for state representative, Gloria Johnson, the
statement said. Also this week, the
Tennessee Republican House Caucus began a negative attack ad against Johnson
making absolutely untrue claims.”

Added Johnson: “These special interest
smears against our campaign are sign of desperation because they know our
message of investing in schools, making health care more affordable and
strengthening the middle class is winning. Eddie Smith should tell his big
money friends to pack up their dirty tricks and get out of Knoxville. Volunteer
families don’t want elections bought by special interests, they want fair
elections and clean campaigning.”

Johnson has scheduled a press conference
at 2 p.m. today at 311 Morgan St.

As always, send over your political stuff for publication consideration.

Friday, October 28, 2016

The two candidates running for the 89th District
state House seat are the guests on this Sunday’s edition of “Inside Tennessee”
on WBIR 10News.

Incumbent and Republican Roger Kane and Democrat challenger
Heather Hensley touch on a number of topics during the 30-minute political and
public affairs program that kicks off at 9:30 a.m.

The show, which was taped on Wednesday, features a panel
comprised of Don Bosch, an attorney and Democrat, Susan Williams, a Republican
and public relations specialist, and 10News reporter Mike Donila.

WBIR anchor John Becker serves as the show’s moderator.

Kane, an insurance agent who has held the seat since 2012,
and Hensley, a registered nurse, discuss a range of matters the General
Assembly expects to act on when the body meets again in January.

Issues include: health care and Insure Tennessee, the state’s
failed version of the Affordable Healthcare Act; desperately needed road
repairs; whether a gas tax increase is warranted; and just how much oversight
the General Assembly should have over the University of Tennessee.

The 89th District is sandwiched between Oak Ridge at the
north and I-40 at the south and includes roughly 65,000 residents.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Knox County Clerk Foster Arnett Jr has dropped his “toxic mold spores” lawsuit against the county and the Public Building Authority, he confirmed to WBIR 10News on Thursday.

The move comes after Knox County Circuit Court Judge Bill Ailor ruled that Arnett could not sue in his official capacity as an elected official, but could as an individual. That means Arnett – and not the taxpayers – would have to cover his attorney fees.

In his order, filed July 14, Ailor notes that neither the state nor the county charter gives the county clerk, or any elected officeholder, the authority to pursue such a lawsuit against the county.

“Thus, the Knox County Clerk may not sue the PBA because that would be Knox county suing Knox County,” Ailor wrote. “Moreover, if the claims by Foster D. Arnett Jr. in his official capacity were allowed to proceed, the court notes that no matter the outcome of the case, the Knox County taxpayer would be the loser. If the plaintiff won, defendant PBA would use Knox County taxpayer money to pay the judgment. Additionally, if the defendant won, Knox County taxpayer money would pay the Knox County Clerk’s attorneys’ fees.”

Ailor also ruled that Arnett – because he can’t sue in his official capacity – cannot use money from the county’s general fund or his own office to pay his attorney fees.

Arnett told 10News that he "respects the judge's opinion" and opted not to further pursue the matter.

Arnett in February 2015 filed the lawsuit after, he said, the PBA failed to remove “toxic mold spores” form the Old Courthouse where he works. Arnett said the mold cause his health to deteriorate.

The PBA argued that he didn’t lack the authority to sue the county in his official capacity as the clerk.

Ailor agreed.

Since filing the lawsuit, Arnett has worked out of his Cedar Bluff satellite office.

Members of the East Tennessee Regional Medication Collection
Coalition will collect and properly dispose unwanted medication on
Saturday.

Knox County residents can dispose of unwanted
prescription medications or over-the-counter medicines on Saturday at
the Ingles at 430 East Emory Road.

Saturday’s event goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents
can only drop off medicines at the Ingles in Powell during Saturday’s
event. At all other times, residents can bring old or unused medicines
to the Knoxville Police Department Safety Building at 800 Howard Baker
Jr. Ave., which is open 24/7.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The East Tennessee Libertarian Party
plans to meet Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Dead End BBQ on
Sutherland Avenue with U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan, Jr. Rep.
Duncan serving as guest speaker.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend and please bring any questions
you have about our presidential candidate, Gary Johnson, or libertarianism in
general, the news release states.

The East Tennessee Libertarian Party includes Knox, Blount,
Sevier, Loudon, and Anderson Counties. The Libertarian Party is the fastest
growing political party and the only one that supports the principles of
Liberty. The party says it's philosophy is: “Minimum government, Maximum Freedom."

The Teacher Supply Depot will open from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday to give Knox County Schools’ teachers and teaching assistants the opportunity to shop for free classroom supplies.

The Depot, located at 709 N. Cedar Bluff Road, in the former Cedar Bluff Intermediate School, is a joint venture of Knox County Schools and the Teacher Supply Depot PTA.

The Teacher Supply Depot provides KCS teachers and others with new and used classroom materials for free.

In its 15 years of service, the Teacher Supply Depot has benefited more than 10,000 KCS professionals and provided more than $2.6 million in materials through the support of local businesses and community members.

The depot is driven solely by donations and is a unique way for local businesses and community members to partner with the school system to provide material support to teachers. All donated materials are used to enhance instruction and promote student achievement in classrooms across the district.

Although donations are accepted year-round, the Teacher Supply Depot is only open on certain dates throughout each academic year. Those planning to shop at the Teacher Supply Depot must bring a school ID or another form of identification to be admitted.

Two additional Teacher Supply Depot shopping days will be held this academic year on Jan. 21 and Apr. 1, 2017.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

The Knoxville City Council will vote tonight on an ordinance that has
kept churches and breweries apart for years. The change would no longer
require allow churches and places receiving a beer permit to be located
more than 300 feet apart.

“In my mind, it makes sense to remove that restriction for churches,” said Knoxville City Councilman Finbarr Saunders.

Saunders
and his colleagues recently received a letter signed by ten churches
encouraging the change.
He believes the current law is inconvenient for
churches and breweries, both of which are increasingly choosing more
creative locations.

“They’re in shopping centers or in office buildings or in some cases, even right next to a bar," he said.
Saunders said breweries can also work around the current law.

“You can walk right around it by going to the state and getting the ABC license to serve wine and whiskey,” he said.

According to local brewery owner Aaron McClain, it isn't that easy.

"There are mountains of paperwork and it costs thousands of dollars," said McClain, owner of Crafty Bastard Brewery.

McClain
is referring to a $1,000 annual licensing fee required by the Tennessee
Alcohol Beverage Commission. That is in addition to a $300 application
fee and over $2,000 in fines from the city and county. A change in the
current city law would eliminate almost all of those costs for local
bars and breweries.

"It's disproportionately affecting small businesses, small breweries," said McClain.

His
brewery is next to St. John's Lutheran Church, requiring him to
purchase state permits instead of city permits. Pastor Stephen
Misenheimer also supports a change in the current law.

“As the church has changed over the years, so has the need for laws to be changed," Misenheimer said.

He said the relationship between breweries and churches has deeper ties than one might think.

"Martin Luther, it's said, was one of the original craft brewers," Misenheimer said.

This
is the second attempt by the city council to pass such a law. The first
attempt which failed included the separation of beer permits and other
entities such as schools and daycare facilities. This one focuses on
churches, which councilman Saunders says is a less controversial topic.

Five days into early voting, Knox County is seeing a 50 percent increase in voter turnout over the 2008 and 2012 elections.

Cliff
Rodgers, Knox County administrator of elections, said about 10,000
people have voted on each weekday and about 6,000 people cast their
ballot the first Saturday of early voting bringing the total to 46,188
as of 5 p.m. Monday.

"The numbers have just been out the roof,"
Rodgers said. "We love it. This is great. This is what we want to see is
people coming out to vote early."

According to voting data, the
Downtown West location has consistently been the busiest polling
location, while the Carter Branch Library location has seen the fewest
voters.

"We've
had some people trying to creep in here from Anderson County and Sevier
County and Blount County thinking, well, they can early vote here,"
Rodgers said. "No, you need to go back to your county and vote."

Rodgers
said voters also need to remember that campaign posters and materials,
including hats, buttons and shirts cannot come within a 100-foot
boundary of the polling location.

"We've had some issues with a few folks on both sides of the presidential aisle, if you will," he said.

Trinity
McCulley, a first-time voter who wore a Trump t-shirt to cast her
ballot, went to the New Harvest Park location to cast her ballot, but
she said she had not heard of the 100-foot rule.

"When I found
out I wasn't allowed to wear the shirt and that I was actually forced to
take it off before I actually cast my ballot, I was a little bit
annoyed by that," McCulley said.

Election officials said the rule is in place to give voters a protective zone from campaign solicitation.

"Everybody's
got to learn the rules to do it effectively, and it's a part of the
system so you just kind of have to comply with them," McCulley said.

Rodgers
said most people are following the rules, leading to the record number
of early voters he would like to see continue. Early voting in Tennessee
ends Nov. 3.

"We'd love to see nobody on election day," Rodger
said. "That will never happen, but the more people we get to vote early,
the shorter lines will be on election day."

The Donald Trump campaign tour bus will make its way to
Knox County on Monday, although the Republican presidential candidate is not
expected to be here.

However, U.S. Rep. John J. “Jimmy” Duncan Jr. and
possibly Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett plan to give brief speeches.

The bus should arrive around noon at the Knoxville Expo
Center at 5441 Clinton Highway and stay for about an hour.

“I don’t want people to think that Donald Trump or some big
name will be on the bus, but it’s a GOP Trump rally and they’re bringing the
bus through,” said Knox County Republican Party Chairman Buddy Burkhardt. “But,
I’m hoping there will be a surrogate, maybe one of his kids.”

Burkhardt added: “Voter turnout has been very good for early
voting, so we’re looking forward to having the bus here, which we hope will
keep the motivation going for more people to get out and vote.”

The Trump bus is part of a five-state tour of the South,
which kicks off in Tennessee, Burkhardt said.

Trump, a real estate mogul, faces former U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 general election.

The local GOP plans to release more information about the
event later Friday.

At Bearden High School, educators are looking to build a new future for the students through engineering, specifically robotics.

The
move comes roughly a year after members of the philanthropic Haslam
family and Pilot Flying J gave the Knox County school system $10
million. The bulk of the money – $8.7 million – was set aside to provide
synthetic turf fields and some running tracks at the county’s 13 high
schools.

But, lost in the headlines was another $100,000 donation
for each of the system’s 13 traditional high schools to use for
academics.

“When the money came along, I was just like, ‘This is
unbelievable – this gift just fell in our lap – hey, here’s the chance
to do something,’” said Bearden High School principal John Bartlett.
“That’s one-time money to start up a program that’s going to help a lot
of students.”

As it stands, school leaders submitted proposals to the Haslam family earlier this year, detailing how they would use the money.

The school system is now putting together a report that should be complete some time in December.

“There's
a lot of flexibility that's been given to our school leaders,” interim
Knox County Schools Superintendent Buzz Thomas added. “That's the way
we're trying to run the school district: we're trying to make decisions
as close to the action as possible, and that's the way the Haslam family
did this gift."

A majority of the money so far has gone to technology, according to a WBIR 10News analysis of the expenditures.

Schools
so far have purchased or plan to purchase new computers, laptops,
tablets, interactive whiteboards, cameras and calculators.

Some
of the money will pay for instructional coaches and tutors and some
will support career readiness programs through field trips, job
shadowing and student internships.

"We're on a track over the next
3 years to have one-on-one technology in each school and each student's
hands,” Thomas said. "This gift gave a lot of schools the opportunity
to kind of surge ahead."

The money also enables schools to continue to update what they have.

“When
we opened our doors in 2008, all of our technology was new,” Hardin
Valley Academy principal Sallee Reynolds said in a letter to the Haslam
family in February, adding that the school plans to spend its money
almost entirely on new computers and laptops. “Eight years later, many
of our teachers are still using the original laptops that have been
serviced several times.”

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Early voting for the presidential and state general election got underway in Knox County on Wednesday.

Election
officials said more than 8,800 people cast their ballot in
Knox County on the first day of the early voting period. That's a bigger
turnout for the first day of early voting than in 2008, when there 5,887 voters on the first day, and 2012, when there were 6,392.

So far, the Downtown West location has been the busiest spot.

As of Wednesday, there were more than 238,000 registered voters in Knox County.

The Knox County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office has again failed to turn
over any money to the county’s coffers – for the fourth year in a row
and the fifth time in the past six years.

In fact, the county – as
it closes its financial books on the recently wrapped-up fiscal year –
even had to underwrite the overall operation for 2016 to the tune of
almost $80,000.

That’s because the juvenile court, which is under the Circuit Court clerk’s purview, spent more than the office brought in.

Now, top county leaders say they are troubled about the office’s lack of finances, but question whether they can step in.

“There’s
always a concern, absolutely,” said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. “If
they don’t collect it, then the deficit is going to come from somewhere
else. Either you raise taxes or you raise the base.
We’re kind of
limited in local government. At some point it’s going to come from the
taxpayers . . . it’s not going to magically appear.”

“They
need to look at aligning their staffing with the revenue streams,”
Smith told WBIR 10News. “This is supposed to be at least a break-even
entity.”

The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office is one of five county
fee offices. These departments are run by elected leaders and are
supposed to be self-funded from the fees they collect. But, they also
are expected to contribute to the county’s overall bottom line.

For
example, whenever someone files a lawsuit in the circuit court, the
plaintiff has to pay an upfront fee of $186.50. An adoption carries a
$252 fee and name change runs $186.50.

Those monies first go to covering the salaries in the office and any excess revenue is turned over to the county.

That doesn’t happen often in the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.

But, the office’s spokesman, Randy Kenner, said officials in the department are doing everything they can.

“I
think the office is pretty well run,” he said. “I don’t think we have a
lot of collections out there. We’re collecting the fees we’re supposed
to collect . . . (but) there’s just not as much money as there once
was.”

On the November ballot in Tennessee, Clinton, Trump and a number of
independent candidates are represented, but there are also eight
certified write-in candidates vying for votes.

According to the Tennessee Secretary of State's Office,
Darrell L. Castle, Cherunda Fox, Tom Hoefling, Kyle Kenley Kopitke,
Laurence Kotlikoff, David Limbaugh, Evan McMullin, and Marshall Schoenke
are the certified write-in candidates for president of the United
States.

Clifford Rodgers, Knox County administrator of elections,
said anyone may write-in a name on their ballot when they vote, but
only these eight candidates are eligible to be president.

"People
all the time will write-in names," Rodgers said. "For example, they
write in Chuck Norris or Peyton Manning or somebody like that."

Rodgers
said the certified write-in candidates have registered with the state
and established that they would like to serve as president.

"If
Peyton Manning got more votes than anybody else," he said, "he can't win
the election because he didn't ask us to count votes in that race."

If
someone chooses to write-in a name that is not one of the certified
write-in candidates, Rodgers said that person is not throwing away their
vote because it will be counted, but that voter is choosing someone who
can't win the election.

Valerie Hendrix, of Maryville, is
choosing this election to vote for one of the certified write-in
candidates because she did not feel like she could vote for the other
options.

"I can't feel comfortable voting for Clinton or for Trump, and that's really the bottom line," she said.

Hendrix
started researching alternatives to the major party candidates and
found a name among the eight certified write-in candidates that she felt
her matched with her political ideology.

"The point is I had to vote my conscience, and so that's what I am hoping to do," she said.

She said she will be casting a ballot for Evan McMullin after looking into his background.

Hendrix
said she realizes she may be in the minority voting for a write-in
candidate, but she hopes her vote will make a difference.

At the very least, she hopes it brings her peace of mind come election day.

Local business developers Thomas Krajewski and Tom Weiss held a
public meeting Tuesday at the Old Sevier Heights Baptist Church to
receive input from neighbors about their plans to turn the former church
into a mixed-use development..

The proposed Baker Creek Bottoms will see a brewery, hotel with apartments and theater.
"I'm
100 percent for it," Senior Pastor at Open Door Church Wayne Marler said. "I
think this will bring new life here to the community in South
Knoxville."

Fifty or more jobs will come from this development.

The brewery will be used mainly as a production facility and will have a tasting room.

The
hotel will have its two top floors reserved as apartments for residents
to rent and live in while the rest of the hotel will be for travelers. A
restaurant will be inside the hotel.

"Everything that's
happening around here with the urban development, the Baker Creek
Preserve, the biking, the hiking and the new park being developed here
... They've just absolutely transformed this neighborhood and given it a
whole new face-lift," Marler said.

The theater will help contribute to the arts in South Knoxville. The capacity of the theater will be less than 500 seats.

"I'm
so glad to see that one of the things would be for the children, the
theater for the young children," South Knoxville resident Claudia Hobby
Kennedy said.

Many neighbors were concerned about sounds, lights
and smells, however Krajewski and Weiss plan to work with architects to
ensure minimal noise and directional lighting to not disturb the
residential area.

"I think there are some negatives, but I think they are far outweighed by the positives," Kennedy said.

Knox County is receiving a $500,000 grant from the Tennessee
Department of Environment and Conservation for improvements to I.C. King
Park in South Knoxville.

The improvements will be made in a
newly-acquired 70-acre addition of the park. The county acquired the
land adjoining the original I.C. King park last year.

The
acquisition and grant are expected to help Knox County provide new park
amenities, increase the park size to 219 acres and create a new entrance
to the existing park land.

TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau will
present Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett with a check for the grant on
Wednesday. The check presentation will take place at 3:45 p.m. at the
I.C. King Park addition off Maryville Pike.

Renderings of the proposed park layout and improvements will be on display at the check presentation.

Move over Niagara Falls, Knoxville could be getting its own waterfall.

Local businessman Ross Bagwell Sr. is hoping to add a waterfall attraction to the South Knoxville waterfront.

Bagwell
originally wanted to call the project the "Niagara Falls of the South,"
but that name was already taken. Bagwell settled on "Knox Falls."

In
the 1990s, Bagwell started Cinetel Productions, which was once the
largest independent cable network program production company in the U.S.
He now runs Bagwell Entertainment, LLC.

His
current plans for Knox Falls would feature a waterfall on the south
waterfront and an observation area on the northern side of the Tennessee
River. It would also include a water show with lights and music.

"One
day I was driving and looked down and saw the blank area there, and
said 'why aren't we commercializing that?'” Bagwell said.

Working with a graphic designer, Bagwell came up with the plan for the south and north sides of the river.

"Original
music, computerized lighting done professionally and then the overall
falls would be timed, so that different pumps would pump water from
different areas,” Bagwell said of the proposed site.
Bagwell said that the project is still in the idea phase, but he wants to bring it to the city soon.

When
10News reached out to the city for comment, a spokesperson said they
haven't seen or received any waterfall proposal or suggestion.

“From
the image that was forwarded to me . . . is a privately owned property
in the midst of a privately-owned development, so any proposal there
would have to come from the developer,” city spokesman Jesse Mayshark
said.

Mayshark also noted that any kind of development with water
flowing into the Tennessee River would require the Tennessee Valley
Authority to get involved because it's their jurisdiction.

There's no word on how much a project like this would cost or how long it would take to create.
Bagwell believes it could be an attraction that leads to a big tourism boom for Knoxville and the surrounding area.

City leaders and designers held a brainstorming session Monday to see
what the public would like to improve about Fort Dickerson Park and the
quarry in South Knoxville.

David Brace, the city of Knoxville's
public works director, said access and amenities are some of the top
priorities to make the lake and surrounding area a better attraction.

"We
need better access so that everyone can get back to the quarry, all of
our customers," Brace said. "We need good parking. We need restrooms. We
need a vendor with their staff, or we need our own city staff down at
the space."

People walked through a replica of the park and its
surroundings on the floor of the Kern's Bakery Building Monday night,
viewing design options and offering opinions with sticky notes on
displays.

Kevin
Hill and his family, who live close to the quarry, came to the meeting
to offer ideas and see what is in store for the future of the park.

"We
moved here specifically to live in South Knoxville and be a part of the
reinvention of South Knoxville as an urban, mixed-use, outdoor
lifestyle community," Hill said.

Hill also owns Uncle Lem's
Mountain Outfitters, which is opening a new location on Sevier Avenue to
accommodate the growth along the South Knoxville waterfront and
hopefully at the quarry soon.

"This isn't just impacting South
Knoxville," Hill said. "This will become the magnet that brings the
attention of the entire country to Knoxville."

The city will
invest about $160,000 into the basic infrastructure for parking and any
needed utilities, Brace said, and the Aslan Foundation will pay for the
design surrounding the lake.

Brace said the meeting Monday was
only the first step in transforming Fort Dickerson Park, but he said he
heard a variety of opinions from people about what kinds of amenities
could be options for the future.

"People are excited," Brace said. "They want more. They love really that part of South Knoxville, Fort Dickerson."

Monday, October 17, 2016

There appears to have been more local enthusiasm during Barack
Obama’s first run for president than this year’s contest between real
estate mogul Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
based on current Knox County voter registration numbers.

As it
stands, the Knox County Election Commission has registered almost 9,100
new voters since the last election in early August and through Sunday.

But,
in 2008, the county’s election commission added 21,064 newly registered
voters to the books during the time between August of that year and the
following November when Obama, a Democrat, because the nation’s first
African-American president, defeating Senator John McCain.

During
Obama’s re-election bid four years ago when he beat former Massachusetts
Gov. Mitt Romney, the county’s election commission added 10,552 newly
registered voters between Election Day that November and the county’s
previous election that year, which also was in August.

Although
Cliff Rodgers, the county’s elections administrator, said he doesn’t
expect this year’s registration numbers to catch what might have been a
record-setting cycle in 2008, he does feel they will pass the 2012
numbers.

“We’re already close, so I do think we’ll get there,” he
said. “I think what we saw was that so many people waited until the last
minute to register. Four years ago it was heavy and constant, but this
year we got hit late.”

The deadline to register for the Nov. 8
presidential election was Oct. 11, however residents could mail in
applications, so long as the forms were postmarked by Oct. 11.

That means, local election leaders are still adding new names to the books.

“We
registered over 350 voters at the front counter on Oct. 11, the last
day to register,” Rodgers said. “My staff said that was the most they
could ever remember on the last day of a registration deadline. And we
have thousands yet to be processed (even) after working over the
weekend.”

Rodgers said his office on Friday received 1,700 applications sent through the mail.

His staff will more than likely still be going through and verifying some of them up until the days just prior to Nov. 8.

“We
have several thousand we are still working through in the front
office,” Rodgers added. “What’s slowing us down is the number of folks
who forget to check a box above their name. Or we have a huge stack of
people who checked that they were felons. We’re assuming they’re not. We
reject it and then they have to come back down to fill out of a form
that says ‘I’m not a felon’ or file an appeal.”

With just 22 days before the election, the county has 235,867 active registered voters.

Local businessman and Tennessee Smokies owner Randy Boyd doesn’t plan
to bring the baseball team back to Knoxville until 2025 at the earliest
– and even that’s not a guarantee.

In fact, he might sign another contract at that point and keep the team in nearby Kodak for another decade.

Boyd,
who bought the Chicago Cubs’ Class AA affiliate in June 2013, said he
talked with Sevierville and Sevier County officials about recruiting
another team there to replace the Smokies “but (officials) weren’t
interested in that and if they’re not interested in that and see it as a
win-win then we’re going to stay where we’re at.”

Boyd also ruled
out taking over another franchise from the Chicago Cubs although he
said he had discussions with team owners about it. He called such a
purchase "complicated" and said he wasn't interested.

Further,
Boyd told WBIR 10News on Friday that he doesn’t have the authority to
move the Johnson City Cardinals, another team he oversees, to Knoxville.

The Rookie League team, Boyd said, is actually owned by the St. Louis Cardinals and he only
manages it.

“It’s
not up to us to move them. And besides, even if I had the control of it
which I don’t, the St. Louis Cardinals have been there for 50 years and
they have such a tradition,” said Boyd, who is also the state's
economic and community development commissioner. “We just got through
investing $300,000 into the stadium and investing another $250,000 over
the offseason to fix up the infield and turn it into artificial turf, so
the high school can use the stadium. So, we’re very invested in the
stadium and love that team.”

Boyd earlier this year signed a 10-year lease to manage the Cardinals’ affiliate.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Regal Entertainment Group, a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and
operating one of the largest theatre circuits in the United States, said the company will air the final presidential debate on the big screen
at 206 Regal Cinemas on Oct. 19.

Guests who attend the free showings will receive one small soda with any
popcorn purchase.

"See Clinton vs. Trump 'face off' one more
time," said Steve Bunnell, Chief Content and Programming Officer at Regal
Entertainment Group. "After the success of airing the last debate,
including many full auditoriums, we want to continue to encourage our local
communities to be engaged in public policy and provide Regal guests the unique
opportunity to experience the political process on the big screen."

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett is once again launching a
Wreaths Across America team in an effort to raise funds to place as many live
wreaths as possible on the graves of veterans buried at the three veterans
cemetery locations in Knox County.

A $15 sponsorship will pay for a wreath made of live
greenery to be placed on a veteran’s grave at either the Old East Tennessee
State Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike, the New East Tennessee State
Veterans Cemetery on Governor John Sevier Highway or the Knoxville National
Cemetery on Tyson Street near Old Gray Cemetery.

“If you simply sponsor one wreath or choose to sponsor 100,
you are honoring veterans and families who have honored our community with
their service,” Burchett said. “Whether the men and women buried in our
veteran cemeteries were lost during combat or after living a long life, we do
this for the family members who are still living.”

There are more than 15,000 veterans buried at the three
veteran cemetery locations in Knox County.

Anyone wanting to sponsor a wreath can do so by visiting http://www.knoxcounty.org and clicking on
the Wreaths Across America banner. The organization is also offering a
“three-for-two” sponsorship special, which means it will donate a wreath for
every two that are sponsored.

The deadline for online donations is Nov. 28, and the
deadline for donations made by check is Nov. 21. Checks should be made payable
to “Wreaths Across America” and mailed to 400 Main Street, Suite 615,
Knoxville, TN 37902. The wreaths will be placed on the graves Dec. 17.

Wreaths Across America is a national non-profit that works
to place live wreaths on veteran graves during the holidays.

Growing division over Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's
candidacy is adding political fuel to a hot partisan race in East
Tennessee.

Democrat and former State Rep. Gloria Johnson and
current Republican State Rep. Eddie Smith are facing off for the seat in
Knoxville's State House District 13.

Johnson held a press
conference Tuesday calling on Smith to denounce Trump's lewd comments
against women that he made in a 2005 recording. Trump has referred to
the comments as "locker room talk."

"I denounce Donald Trump's lewd comments about women and call on Eddie Smith to follow Governor Haslam and my lead to do the same," Johnson said.

Further,
Johnson said it was not enough for Smith to only denounce Trump's
comments. She said she would like to hear that he is not voting for
Trump either.

"Are you going to vote for someone who makes the kind of statements that Donald Trump has made?" Johnson said.

In
a statement, Smith said, "Like many voters, I remain an undecided
voter. Mr. Trump's temperament and continued egregious statements over
the last fifteen months are exactly why I have not endorsed him, and
Secretary Clinton's continued dishonesty should concern everyone as we
head into Election Day. Hillary Clinton's failed liberal policies of the
past would do irreparable harm to our nation and to our state. I'm
focused on making this election, for House District 13, about the issues
that matter to Knox County residents, not about politicians in
Washington and failed leaders."

At an event Tuesday night
supporting longtime U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan, WBIR 10News asked several
East Tennessee Republican lawmakers for comment, but many declined to go
on camera. Some promised off camera to vote for Trump. Others pledged
to support his running mate.

Duncan told WBIR 10News on Monday that Trump's comments were "terrible." He also said he is sticking with the GOP nominee.

The Knoxville City Council approved a new $4 million waste management contract Tuesday with Waste Connections of Tennessee.

The
company is the city's current trash provider. Under the new contract,
Waste Connections will provide collection for household garbage and
recycling materials for a seven-year term with three optional three-year
renewals.

Each
homeowner will receive a new 95-gallon trash cart that trucks can lift
instead of workers under the new plan. The 95-gallon cans replace
citizens’ four 32-gallon can that are currently permitted.
City leaders said the plan will save Knoxville about $2 million per year.

Director of Public Service Chad Weth said the new service will not cost workers their jobs.

"They
do hire temporary labor. So it might require less temporary labor,"
Weth said. "If they have to lose folks, they would find work for anyone
that's currently understaffed."

Also during Tuesday's meeting, the
council approved a resolution for an agreement with Wilson Construction
to expand the First Creek Greenway.

The resolution calls for up to $1.22 million to be spent expanding the greenway to connect Woodland Avenue to Edgewood Park.

The
new portion will run along Fulton High School, cross a new pedestrian
bridge across First Creek to North Broadway, and then continue along
Edgewood Avenue to Edgewood Park, the North Knoxville Library and the
Larry Cox Senior Center, according to the city council agenda.

Randy Stephens was a good guy. You can watch a video WBIR 10News put together HERE. The following is a story Tonja Burke wrote:

It's a difficult time at WBIR.

We are mourning the loss of our
co-worker and friend, Randy Stephens, the man literally responsible for
keeping WBIR on the air, but so much more.

Randy, who was 49, died
suddenly over the weekend of an apparent heart attack, leaving his
family and friends in shock and a giant hole in all of our hearts.

Randy
came to WBIR from WATE in 2001 as our newsroom operations manager. In
that role, he was in charge of keeping everything from computers to cell
phones in working order. You probably saw

Randy over the years, at the
wheel of WBIR's satellite truck as he traveled to cover breaking news,
special events, or Live at Five at Four road shows.

In 2015, Randy
was named WBIR's Director of Technology and Operations, using his
expertise to ensure that the station's technology, building, and
equipment was in working order.

Randy loved his work at WBIR, and
everyone that ever worked with Randy loved him. He was always ready with
a smile, a joke, or a silly story. Even in the midst of an often
stressful job, he was the calm in the storm that steadied those around
him. He worked long hours, often spending the night in the satellite
truck or on the floor of his office at the station. There were many
times he was called in the middle of the night to get us back on the air
if there was a technical issue. You could count on him for anything,
and one of the most common phrases you heard at the station was "Ask
Randy."

We will miss him.

Outside of work, Randy was devoted
to his family--- his wife, stepsons, mother, siblings, nieces and
nephews. He and the love of his life, Tanvia, enjoyed camping, going to
bluegrass festivals, and spoiling their dogs.

Randy did more than
listen to bluegrass. He was an accomplished bass player, and you could
always find him playing with other musicians at various events in East
Tennessee. He was also on the board of directors for his favorite radio
station, WDVX.

He loved the Great Smoky Mountains, and spent weeks
every year camping in Cades Cove, fixing up delicious meals for friends
or anyone who happened by. We were particularly fond of his peach
cobbler, which he served up on more than one occasion on a Live at Five
at Four camping trip.

He and Tanvia were avid dog lovers. They had
three very spoiled pups--- Hank, Argos, and Willie G.
But their furry
brood was often added to by foster dogs, who they would love and care
for until a permanent home could be found.

Randy was the epitome of Straight from the Heart.

WBIR-TV General
Manager Jeff Lee said, “Randy kept the trains running on time. He was a
steady man. Someone you could always count on to advance ideas into
realities. Randy was a dependable leader and friend. He will be greatly
missed.”

His Facebook page was filled with pictures and stories
from friends and family all over the country.
You could see the impact
he had on so many lives, both personally and professionally. We can't
believe he's gone, but know the legacy he left will live on in all of
us.

We send our love and our continued prayers to Tanvia and the rest of Randy's family.

The
family will receive friends Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Smith
Trinity Chapel in Maryville. The funeral service will immediately
follow, with Bill Williams officiating. The graveside service will be at
11:00 a.m. on Thursday at Grandview Cemetery.

Commissioners Ed Brantley and Bob Thomas continue their efforts to meet and eat with everyone in Knox County.

The Ed & Bob Show will hold another "Night Out," this time in East Knoxville at Jackie's Dream, which served hot chicken, on McCalla Avenue from 5-7 p.m on Oct. 20.

These events, the commissioners say, give them a chance to listen to any resident's concerns.

"Ed and Bob feel that going out to the people eases the strain on those who, because of work, commitments, financial situation or the distance to the City-County Building, cannot attend regular commission meetings," the two said in a released statement.

The
city wants the contractor to provide collection for household garbage
and recycling materials for a seven-year term with three optional
three-year renewals. The contract term could potentially last 16 years.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Four builders submitted proposals to begin a major much-talked about key development project at the site of the old state Supreme Court in downtown Knoxville.

The city several months ago began the bidding process, asking builders to submit plans. The proposals were opened on Monday morning.

The city by law only has to say who bid on the project and does not have to disclose any details about developers would like to do.

At issues is the almost two-acre site at 710 Locust Ave., which the city bought for $2.47 million last year.

The site is bound by Locust Street, Cumberland Avenue, West Church Avenue and Henley Street.

It’s been mostly used for parking in recent years.

Here’s who submitted proposals:

Marble Alley development team of Dale Smith and Buzz Goss

BNA out of Nashville

Commercial and Investment Properties out of Knoxville

Dover Development of Knoxville

The site also includes a 52,776-square foot facility – the court house and an adjoining 6-story brick building. The courthouse, which features large expanses of East Tennessee marble and glass walls, opened in 1954.

The adjoining building serves as the main state office building until the 1980s.

According to the city documents covering the bidding process, officials want a developer to buy the site and then development someone.

The documents suggest that the area “will play an important role in continuing the momentum of downtown redevelopment efforts.”

It also notes that the city seeks “the establishment of a transformational anchor to an emerging district.”

Dawn Michelle, director of redevelopment for Knoxville, said the city is looking for “something that’s going to be vibrant, something that’s going to energize our downtown even more, something that’s going to set a catalyst to generate use along Henley, something that’s going to have that great street front presence is what we’re looking for.”

The documents note that nearby the site, developers have built some 225 condos and 642 new apartment units in the past decade.

“This development should create a sense of place that is attractive to residents seeking an exciting urban lifestyle, while building on Knoxville’s unique historic fabric and growing downtown culture,” the bid documents state.

The city's purchasing department and an evaluation team of city leaders will vet the proposals and take more with the builders in the coming months before making a decision and negotiating a contract with the winner.

Officials said they hope to have a formal proposal in front of the Knoxville City Council for approval by the end of the year.

The developer who is picked is expected to begin construction within 12 months of buying the property and must complete it within three years of the start date.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Candidates running for the East Knoxville district formerly
represented by ex-longtime state House member Joe Armstrong are the
focus of this Sunday’s edition of Inside Tennessee on WBIR 10news.

The 30-minute political show kicks off at 9:30 a.m. and features two of the three challengers vying for the 15th District seat.

Guests include Rick Staples and write-in candidate Rhonda “Mousie” Gallman, both Democrats.
Independent challenger Pete Drew did not show up for the discussion.

Armstrong
officially retired in September in the wake of his federal felony tax
evasion conviction and just days before the Tennessee General Assembly
met for a special session.

A jury in August found the long-time
East Knoxville Democrat guilty of filing a false and fraudulent tax
return, but declined to convict him on two other charges - conspiracy to
defraud the United States, and attempting to evade and defeat taxes.

His sentencing is set for Nov. 30.

Armstrong has since appealed and is seeking a new trial.

However, he can no longer represent the 15th District in the state House or hold any other public office because of the conviction.

As
a result, the Knox County Democratic Party picked Staples to replace
him in the Nov. 8 general election. He faces Gallman and Drew.

Staples
and Gallman on Inside Tennessee will talk about a number of issues,
including what they liked that Armstrong did; how they would improve
upon some of the issues he spearheaded; and what they would do about a
potential gas tax, something Gov. Bill Haslam has pushed.

The
panel features moderator John Becker, WBIR reporter Mike Donila, public
relations expect Susan Williams, a Republican, and attorney Don Bosch, a
Democrat.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Knox County Schools Board of Education named Patti Bounds board
chair and Amber Rountree vice chair, respectively, during its meeting Wednesday.

The board held its first reorganization vote at its September meeting, but postponed the decision after two tied results.

In September, the votes were tied 4-4 between board members Terry Hill and Mike McMillan.

Prior
to Wednesday's meeting, McMillan submitted a letter to the board
withdrawing his name from consideration. McMillan was not present at
Monday's board work session or Wednesday's regular meeting due to health
reasons.

On Wednesday, Hill also removed her name from
consideration. Board member Tony Norman then nominated Bounds, and she
was named chair by acclamation.

Hill and Norman were then nominated for vice chair.

After a 4-4 tied vote, Hill withdrew her name from consideration again.

Amber Rountree was then nominated for consideration, and selected with a 5-3 vote over Norman.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Knoxville College Board of Trustees met Monday to discuss last week's fire at the Robert H. Harvey College Center.

The Board continues to gather information on the cause and awaits the final report from the Knoxville Fire Department and Knoxville Police Department.

“We are working with the Fire and Police Departments to determine additional steps in reference to vandalism and fires of buildings on campus," said James Reese, chairman of the Board of Trustees. "These incidents have continued to impede our efforts to resume offering classes at our institution. We will not let this most recent incident prevent us from taking steps to ensure a future for our beloved institution. Knoxville College has had a rich history since 1875 and its Board and alumni are working together to secure its future.”

He added: "We encourage anyone who has observed suspicious behavior on or around the campus to contact Knoxville Police Department. We appreciate efforts of the members of the Knoxville community and thank them for their continued support as we re-build. It is our sincere intent to once again become a thriving partner of the Knoxville Community."

Monday, October 3, 2016

Rev. Bowman “Bo” Townsend will step in as the Ijam Nature Center’s
interim executive director while officials search for a permanent
leader.

Townsend, who spent the past 10 years as a rector at St.
Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas, returned to Knoxville
in June.

Prior to that, he served as the longtime executive director of the South Knoxville nature preserve.

Former Ijams Nature Center Executive Director Paul James announced his resignation on Sept. 27 after 16 years with the organization. James served as the executive director for 12 years, and spent four years as development director.

“I
have been proud to be the director of Ijams as it has grown
significantly over the past decade into what it is today,” James said in
a Sept. 27 release. “What I am most proud of has been the development
of genuine and long-lasting relationships with many Ijams' donors and
community members. Their support and friendship have nurtured the growth
and spirit of Ijams and ensure its continued upward trajectory.”

During
James’ tenure, the nature center added more than 160 acres of protected
space. Ijams currently encompasses 300 acres of urban greenspace in
South Knoxville.

Knoxville is celebrating a big milestone Monday: Its 225th
anniversary. The party started early, though, with events all around
town during the weekend.

Excitement was building downtown for the
anniversary. People were abuzz with dancing, singing, enjoyment of the
sights and sounds Saturday night. The following Sunday night, Mayor
Madeline Rogero attended a number of events, including a special dinner
and fireworks show on the Gay Street Bridge.

"It's never been done
before. The Gay Street Bridge, since it's opened, has not been closed,"
Liza Zenni with the Arts and Culture Alliance said.

Zeni said the last 25 years in particular saw the transformation of the city into what it is today.

"Knoxville
has been experiencing a renaissance. Our downtown looked nothing like
this 25 years ago. It was a ghost town, and now it's hopping nad popping
every day, all day," she said.
The city closed the bridge between
Blount and Hill avenues from 6 a.m. until midnight Sunday. The
sidewalks there were also closed after 6 p.m.

Today, the city
will continue the celebration with a number of events. The Historic
Homes of Knoxville will be hosting a Founder's Day luncheon at 11:30
a.m. at The Foundry in World's Fair Park. WBIR's Bill Landry from The
Heartland Series will be the guest speaker at that luncheon.
The
Tennessee Theatre just got done celebrating its 88th anniversary Sunday.
It will be hosting Mighty Musical Monday starting at noon. Doors will
open at 11:30 a.m.

As Knoxville celebrates its past, community leaders are looking to the future.

"The most exciting thing that we've yet to see is what's going to happen between now, and the 250th anniversary," Zenni said.

the glass is usually half empty

My name is Mike Donila and I'm a reporter with WBIR in Knoxville, TN. I cover government. All politics is local, and mostly ridiculous. Travis Fain of Lucid Idiocy said that. He's a smart guy. This is my blog. The content ranges.